Trying to navigate the insurance paperwork after damages occur to your home can be stressful and needlessly frustrating. To simplify the process, follow clear and basic step by step instructions.
The first, and certainly most important, step in proceeding with an insurance claim involves contacting your insurance provider as quickly as possible. When you contact your provider or agent, you will want to have the following information and details ready at hand:
- A documented list (estimated to be as accurate as possible) of any items / areas of the house that are damage
- This list should be of any damages that are immediately seen; however, you should continue to monitor and update the list as necessary
After contacting your insurance company, you should work with your family to document any other missing and or damaged items in the house. Since your insurance company has been notified to be aware of your circumstance, you can now more calmly work with your spouse and / or children to inspect each area of the house.
Upon inspecting your home, you may notice that you’ll need to make repairs. If you do have to make repairs (broken windows from a theft, etc), then be sure to save all receipts for the cost of materials, supplies, and labor. While your insurance company cannot reimburse you for all damages to your home (such as damages caused by personal neglect), you should still play it safe in order to be able to prove your personal expenses with the documentation of receipts if needed.
Upon submitting all information to your insurance company, you’ll undoubtedly need to wait for a period of time before you are informed of your compensation and coverage allotments. Wait times can vary depending on one’s location and provider; yet if you feel your provider is taking an unreasonable amount of time to process your claim, then you have the right to file a complaint with your state’s insurance commissioner’s office.
